Patrick Mork is an executive coach, speaker and author who transformed a career setback into a global mission: helping leaders and founders navigate career pivots, rebuild confidence, and lead with balance. From a CMO role in Silicon Valley to coaching and running leadership programs in South America, Patrick’s journey—marked by personal upheaval, international moves, and writing a bestselling book—offers practical hope and hard-won wisdom for our 5M+ Humans of Fuzia community working to support women’s leadership and entrepreneurship.
Q: What prompted your career change from corporate marketing to executive coaching?
A: In 2017 I lost my job and my marriage ended. That combination forced a major rethink. I hired an executive coach, did the hard work of reflection and training, and realized I wanted to help other leaders the way I’d been helped. That pivot led me to become an executive coach, a speaker, and to start a leadership-development business in South America.
Q: What were the biggest challenges when you made that shift?
A: There were many — financial insecurity, learning an entirely new trade, and having to build your own pipeline from scratch: website, marketing, proposals, delivery. On top of that I left Silicon Valley, moved to Chile, navigated a new language, taxes and business systems, lived through social unrest in 2019 and then COVID lockdowns. It was a crash course in resilience.
Q: Do you work alone or with a team?
A: I work with a small team of freelancers — social media, admin, accounting, and video production — who help produce content and handle operations so I can coach and speak.
Q: What’s your view on women in leadership today?
A: There aren’t enough women in leadership. Women entrepreneurs face extra isolation and stigma, difficulties raising capital, and a heavier burden of caregiving responsibilities. Many organisations still lack structured leadership development for women. When companies invest in programs and mentorship, outcomes improve — women bring empathy, multitasking strengths and perspective that are essential in leadership.
Q: What advice do you give aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs?
A: Believe in yourself — you’re more capable than you think. Treat failure as learning; entrepreneurship is a marathon. Find purpose-driven work, ask for help (mentors, coaches, teams), and cultivate faith in something bigger than yourself to sustain you during hard times.
Q: How do you define success, personally and professionally?
A: I see success as a wheel with many spokes — not just career or wealth but relationships, health, family, spiritual life and contribution to community. Real success is balance across those areas, not a single-minded chase for money or title.
Q: Any practical tips for someone planning a major life or career pivot?
A: Invest in learning the craft (coaching or whatever the new field is), build small experiments rather than giant leaps, create a pipeline early (networking, content, offers), and be prepared to trade short-term comfort for long-term purpose. Get mentors and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Q: What gave you strength when everything felt uncertain?
A: Purpose, mentors, and a willingness to rebuild. Also leaning into a practice of gratitude and a spiritual sense that there’s something larger than my immediate outcomes. That belief provides perspective when the journey gets hard.
“Believe in yourself — there’s no such thing as failure, only learning. Keep building, keep asking for help, and let purpose guide you.”
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